The skinny on Elizabeth

[BobKovacs]

Originally Posted by jstar41

for what i hear EPD is enforcing very strict rules now and are even mounting cameras for survelliance of all streets..

I'm not trying to stir up another round of crap here, but I do wonder why they're going to bother with "cameras on all streets"- I saw the video from the shootings the other night, and the footage is useless- you can barely see what happened. It's not as if the cameras are going to prevent anything from happening, and by the time something is seen on camera (if anyone is even monitoring them real-time), in most cases it's too late to respond. There's something sad about a city needing cameras on every corner in the first place, IMO.

[JERSEY MAN]

Originally Posted by BobKovacs

I'm not trying to stir up another round of crap here, but I do wonder why they're going to bother with "cameras on all streets"- I saw the video from the shootings the other night, and the footage is useless- you can barely see what happened. It's not as if the cameras are going to prevent anything from happening, and by the time something is seen on camera (if anyone is even monitoring them real-time), in most cases it's too late to respond. There's something sad about a city needing cameras on every corner in the first place, IMO.

Bob, It is a shame that we have to put cameras up in the big cities. Let me give you my view of cameras, if its done right it solves many crimes and it is definitely a deterent to crime in crime infested areas. Our cameras in our city are state of the art cameras, they turn 360 degrees, you can zoom in down the block and get license plates and identifications of the perps. Ours are manned around the clock by civilian wanna be cops that report IMO to much nonsense. They are not on every corner mostly in the worst areas and the shopping district.

The whole program is paid for by the federal government under homeland security. When they first came out about 7 years ago most civilians and the police were against them. The skells would even shoot them out. Now they are enclosed with bulletproof glass. Unfortunately the bad guys know about them and take there BUSINESS elsewhere, up the block out of view of the cameras. Now every block association wants the cameras. Does it solve the crime problem NO. Does it help even though not much YES it is one tool for us.

[jstar41]

I must agree.. that it probably won't fix the problem.. but it will definately help.. for example.. someone places a call to police station.. operator can answer and ask for location.. then looks at camera for this street.. they will see what's going on and the urgency.. they can send help immediatly.. a way of filetering real emergencies.. also camera prescence will make criminals think twice of committing crime as they can be watched and recorded..